Author's note: This chapter is a little shorter, but I should be able to put up the next chapter soon. As always, let me know what you guys think :)
Note: this chapter, and the chapter before, has been edited to make Mikey older so he can be left on his own. Apparently my parents were pretty chill when it came to leaving us alone for a short time. :)
I hear a car pull up and peek out the curtains to see Mary Lou carrying a child on her hip. He looks to be getting too big to be carried anymore, at least by Mary Lou. I go over and open the door for her, and she smiles gratefully.
"Thanks", she whispers. I notice that the child is stirring. She puts him down and he rubs his eyes.
"Hi Steph" he greets me sleepily, and stretches.
"Hi Mikey. I heard you won't feeling very well."
"I ate too many lollies and cookies" he said. "But then I threw up and I feel better again" he informs me. Mary Lou looks at him and shakes her head with a smile. She leads him down the hall where I think she tries to get him to go to bed. It sounds like Mikey is winning.
After a couple of minutes she comes back and looks at me, eyebrows raised.
"So not that I don't love surprise visits, but why were you hiding out in my yard?" she asks.
"Oh Mary Lou" I sigh. "I seem to have messed up again" I continue.
I tell her what I had done this morning, and she listened, eyes widening. I started with the misjudging the size of the parking space and scratching the black car, then scratching it again as I reversed. I told her how I had bought a chocolate bar before hiding and running out the back way, and coming over here. And I told her that I didn't know who the man was, but he may very well be a criminal.
"Oh. My. God." she says slowly. I nod sheepishly.
"What are you going to do?" she asks. I've been asking myself that very question and still haven't come up with a good answer.
"I'm not really sure" I say honestly. "But I think the first step involves getting home and having a nap" I didn't add that it would also involve a fair bit of wishing I hadn't listened to Stupid Stephanie, and fantasising about running away to Canada or somewhere. "Would you be able to give me a lift?" I ask hopefully.
"Of course" Mary Lou says. Let me just check if Mikey needs anything. She gets up and goes down the hall while I get up, put my glass on the sink and wait by the door. Mary Lou really was a wonderful friend. She came back and said
"He was upset that I interrupted his game, but assures me he knows where the phone is and my number, and who to call if he needs anything. I also reminded him that Ms Smith is right next door". She opened the fridge (which was full I noted with envy), and grabbed a small box of cut up carrots. She grabbed a glass of water and took the carrots and water down the hall. I could hear her walk down and talk to Mikey for a minute. She then came back and nodded.
"We're all good to go" she smiled brightly.
First we drive past the petrol station to see if the men in black have left. Mary Lou lent me sunglasses and a scarf to wrap around my head as a disguise. I see the Buick still there. The black car that was there before was gone, but in its place was a different black car. The black car still looked shiny and new, but bigger and more practical. It was a 4-wheel drive I think. Mary Lou drove past the petrol station and on the way to my apartment.
"That's a different black car Mary Lou. Maybe this guy has lots of black cars, and won't mind a scratch in one of them." I say hopefully.
"I don't know that I'm as optimistic as you are trying to be". Mary Lou, the voice of reason. "Your apartment isn't too far away. Maybe things will seem better after a nap".
A short ten minute drive and we were at my apartment.
"Thanks for everything Mary Lou"
"What are friends for? Though I expect to hear what happens in a couple of days, okay?".
"I promise". I give her an awkward hug from my seat. I look around the parking lot, paranoid that there would be a black car waiting for me. But of course there isn't. I get out and wave goodbye as Mary Lou goes back home.
I push the elevator button and ride it up to my floor. I get out, and open my apartment door. Rex comes out of his tin house, looks at me, looks for food and then goes back in his little tin. I lock my door and head into the kitchen. I open the fridge then sigh and close it. I had forgotten I had eaten the last thing in it for breakfast this morning. I was planning on going grocery shopping after getting a job from Vinnie. I guess I'll have to eat at my parents' house sometime soon if I want food. Although not tonight. I'm sure my mother will know that I did something wrong just by looking at my face. I think I've got some crackers somewhere, and some peanut butter. I can have that for dinner.
With that decision made, I make my next decision which is to have a nap. I think about checking my phone, but then don't want to deal with whatever calls I've missed so I don't. I pull off my shoes and crawl into bed without bothering to get changed. I'm so tired from panicking and running away that I am asleep almost immediately.
Author's note: I promise that the man in black appears in the next chapter